Envisioning a better society through business

“SBS is about all of us being smarter than one of us, and seeing that through business, we can make society better.” 

First stepping foot on the Redlands campus this summer, Jennifer Madden saw possibility and opportunity. Now serving as the H. Jess and Donna Colton Senecal Endowed Dean of U of R’s School of Business & Society (SBS), Madden brings a wealth of experience in business, community, and education, along with a bold vision for excellence in learning. She previously served as the inaugural dean of Linfield University’s School of Business. 

“To join an institution whose vision surrounds meaning, impact, and joy speaks to me as a collaboration scholar,” Madden said. “SBS is about all of us being smarter than one of us, and seeing that through business, we can make society better.” 

Madden sees a unique opportunity to combine the school’s hallmark personal, small-class experience with the gold-standard accreditation model offered through Woodbury University, with sustainable solutions through the Presidio Center, positioning SBS to compete with larger institutions. Central to her vision is strengthening partnerships across the nonprofit, private, and government sectors to create pathways for both traditional students and working adults looking to return to school. 

“Nearly half of our graduate students came through partnerships,” she said. “That tells us education isn’t just about degrees, it’s about networks, leadership, and creating real pathways for people to thrive.”    

Already, Madden is working with faculty to develop new MBA concentrations in design and innovation and AI. These offerings will complement a growing list of certificate programs designed to attract non-traditional learners to Redlands.   

“Education should meet students where they are—we are creating affordable, accessible certificate pathways that can stack to an undergraduate or graduate degree,” she said. “At SBS, we work to inspire our students, building excitement for a single course along with the momentum to pursue a graduate degree at Redlands.” 

With AI reshaping industries, Madden is helping position SBS at the forefront of business education to build “resilience in uncertain times.”  She describes the approach as “AI-squared: human intelligence plus artificial intelligence (Artificial Intelligence And I).”  

“AI has been disruptive, but our students excel because they lead with critical thinking skills,” she said. “By sharpening those skills, we are training our students to solve challenges that don’t yet exist. We want our students to command the technology and leverage the power of AI-squared. To harness the power of critical thinking, leadership, ethics, sustainability, design thinking, and a business education.” 

For Madden, moving 21st-century education into the future, while purposing it for the betterment of society, is just the beginning. 

Discover the School of Business & Society at University of Redlands.